Device for handling hollow building blocks



. Y H. R. STRAIGHT DEVICE FOR HANDLI NG HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCKS Filed June 9, '1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 12 1924. 1,504,915

. H. R. STRAIGHT DEVICE FOR HANDLING HCLILOW BUILDING BLOCKS Filed June 9, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,915

H. R-J STRAIGHT DEVICE FOR HANDLING HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCKS Filed June 9, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WWII/1mm A H. R. STRAIGHT DEVICE FOR HANDLING HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCKS Filed June 9, 1920 4 Shets-Sheet 4- Due/0507* Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES HALVER R. STRAIGHT, or ADEL, Iowa.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCKS.

Application filed June 9,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HALVER R. STRAIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adel, in the county of Dallas, State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Device for Handling Hollow Buildin Blocks, of which the following is the speci cation.

This invention relates to improvements for handling burned clay products, specially those known as hollowbuilding blocks, or any articles formed with rectangular faces, which may be piled in symmetrical piles. Clay products of this class are generally burned in kilns and are then removed to a suitable receiving or storage yard where they are piled ready for delivery to the consumer at any convenient time or they may be delivered directly to suitable cars for transportation. In either case it is necessary to load blocks or tile into a rack or frame provided on a transfer truck or cars and then unloaded and piled in yards or in a railroad car. If the "articles are piled in yards it is necessary to handle them the second time by placing them on a transfer car and delivering them to the railroad car. This work has heretofore been done manually and generally required from two to three men to each transfer car.

By this method it has been necessary to handle the blocks one at a time as they are loaded and unloaded to the various cars. It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a device of simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive construction, adapted to grab or grasp a pile of. symmetrically arranged tile or building blocks, in such a manner that they may be mechanically carried from one position to another as a single unit, and may be taken from a pile of blocks and. delivered to another pile,

or placed on freight cars.

A further object is to provide means whereby a number of adjacent rows of blocks, placed in tiers, may be simultaneously grasped and moved from one place to another as a single unit, and to provide in such a device means whereby each row of blocks in the pile may be independently grasped, to provide for a variation in the length of the rows.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which need not be pointed out in detail.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various 1920. Serial No. 387,767.

parts of the device, whereby the ob'ects contemplated are attained, as hereina ter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,-

in which Fig. 1 shows the side elevation of my de-' device for handling building tile showing,

in diagram, the controlling switch, and the manner in which the device is applied to a pile of blocks.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view'of one of the elevating screws, and the operating bars.

Fig. 5 is a. detail sectional view showing the manner in which the knee joint of the toggle members are mounted andthe manner in which the actuating springs are applied.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of my improved device taken on the lines 6-6 of Fi 2.

Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional elevation of several of the toggle knee joints taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the frame of my device comprises side plates 10 each of which is provided with an upright member 11, the uprights 11 are connected near their center by a cross brace formed of channel irons 12. these members are secured to the guides 11 by means of gusset plates '13. Secured to the top of the plate 10 is a second cross member formed of channel irons 13 these channels are spaced apart by means of members 13 Mounted in the outer ends of the plates 10 are parallel shafts 14. Pivotally mounted on each of the shafts 14 is a series of grasping arms 15. The lower end of each of the arms 15 is provided with a shoe 16 pivoted thereto by means of pins 17 and so arranged as to provide a slight pivotal movement, the upper end of each of the arms 15 is bent inward, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and provided with a pivoted block 18, secured in; position by pins 19. Each of the blocks 18 is provided with a screw threaded shaft 20.

Riveted to each of the side plates 10 are angle irons 21 arranged vertically and spaced apart to form'guide members.

For simultaneously closing the lower ends of the arms 15, I have provided an operating bar which is formed of two channel irons 22 v havin .a guide block 23 bolted between them of suc length that its ends project beyond the ends of the. channels 22. These projecting ends are designed to be slidably mounted between the plates 21. The bar 23 is provided with a series of openings each of which is designed to receive a vertical member 24, the upper end of which is provided with the spaced plates 25. These plates are considerablylonger than the diameter of the member 24 and form a shoulder designed to be engaged by the upper end of'a spring 26, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Pivotally mounted between the plates 25 are two segmental gear members 27 each of which is provided with an enlarged portion 28 and having screw threaded openings 29. Each of the screw threaded openings 29 is designed to receive the lower ends of the screw threaded shaft 20 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

By this arrangement it will be seen that I have mounted the grabbing arms 15 in pairs. .The arms on one of the shafts 14 being mounted opposite to the arms on the other shaft. It will also be noticed by this construction that if the bar 22 be elevated thelower end of the arm 15 will be moved inwardly until the shoes 16 engage the ends ofthe lowest row of tiles or blocks at a point below their centers. A further upward movement of the bar 22 will cause the shoes to firmly grip the said blocks to such an extent, that the said lower row would become a continuous beam, after which the said plates 10, together with the shaft 14 may be elevated by means of cables 30 running to suitable sheaves, and to a suitable elevating device. The construction of this elevating device will be hereinafter more fully set forth. Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noticed that the blocks are piled in vertical tiers and that each of the tiers is provided with a set of grabbing arms 15. This quite frequently happens in a pile of blocks thus formed, that the length of the rows of blocks vary a little. To pro vide means for applying an equal pressure to each of the lower rows of blocks, I have provided a spring 25 for each set of arms. To prevent the shafts 14 from being moved outwardly at their central portions when the power is applied to the arms 15 by the toggles 20 being elevated, I have provided a link 31 between each set of arms 15. For the sake of convenience in the specifications and claims, I shall use the word tongs to designate each set of arms 15.

For elevating the bar 22 I have provided the following mechanism. Mounted on the top of the channels 13 I have provided a plate 32 upon which is mounted a reversible electric motor 33. Mounted near each. end

of the channels 33 I have provided a worm- 40. The worm 40 is designed to co-act with the gear 36 as illustrated in Fig. 4.

By this construction it is seen that if the motor 33 is operated, the worm 40 will be rotated which in turn will rotate the gear 36 and the shaft 37. This will cause the bar 22 to be elevated which in turn will cause each of the toggles 20 to be elevated and the shoes 16 moved inward. If the direction of the motor 33 is reversed the direction of said gearing devices will he reversed together with the screw 37 and the bar 22 lowered. This will cause the slices 16 to disengage the tile.

For automatically stopping the movement of the bar 22 in either direction I have pro-- vided with contact members 44 and 45. The

contact member 44 is considerable longer than the member 45, the said members being spaced apart. Secured near the bottom of the casing 41 I have provided a switch arm 46 designed to co-act with the said contact. members 44 and 45. The pivoted end of the. arm 46 is provided with an arm 47 formed of some insulating material. The arm -1-7 is designed to be engaged by adjustable nuts 47* on the vertical push rod 48, the lower end of which is adjustably secured to the bar 22 by means of a bracket 49. The arm 47 is provided with a pin 50 which is designed to receive one end of a spring .51 the other end of which is secured to the casing 41 by means of a pin 52. The pin 50 is so arranged on the arm 47 that the arm 46 will be held in position to the left end of the ontact. 44 as illustrated in Fig. When the arm 46 is in this position the bar 22 will be in its lowered position am. the shoes 16 at their outward limit of movemcm. If the bar 22 be elevated through the action of the motor 33, as before described, until the lower nut 47 engages the arm 47. the said arm will then be moved upward, and the arm 46 moved toward the right until the center of the spring 51 passes the center of the pivot of the arm 46. The arm 46 will then be automatically and quickly moved to its right hand position in contart with the member 45. The numeral 53 indicates the electric wires which may be operatively connected with any convenient form of power. Each of the wires 53 is provided with a llU contact member 54. A wire 55 is connected to the left hand wire 53 and has its opposite end connected to the contact member F -45. A double pole switch 56 is connected Cal with the terminals 57 and 58. The terminal 57 is provided with wire 59 which is connected to one of the motor terminals 60. Another motor terminal is operatively con nected with the arm 46 by means of a wire 61. Connection is made between the-contacts 44 and theterminals 58 by means of the wire 62. The motor terminal 60 may be included in either the field or armature windings of'the motor. winding makes connection with the switch points 54', said connection not being shown in the drawings for the sake of simplicity. The connection is made so the motor may be reversed by actuating the double pole switch and the pole changer, as hereinafter made clear. The double pole switch 56 may be placed in the cab of the elevating device or any convenient place.

For elevating and handling my improved device a mechanism may be provided such as shown in Fig. 1. of the drawings. The

device comprises a frame work 63 formed ofstructural steel and provided with horizontal tracks 64. These tracks are designed to carry a carriage 65 which is of the ordinary construction and are generally used on various kinds of cranes throughout the country, this carriage 65 is provided with suitable hoisting mechanism which forms no part of my present invention. For that reason it has not been illustrated or described. It is my idea however, to provide a frame 66 suspended from the carriage 65 and provided with guide members 67. This frame 66 is rectangular in horizontal cross section and is of such a size as to permit my receiving device to be drawn 'upward into said frame This frame acts as a guide to enable the operator to properly line the device with a-pile of blocks and prevent the same from oscillating as the said crane and carriage is moved from one position to another. Also it will be seen from Figs. 1 and 3 that I have left both ends of the receiving device open so that a pile of blocks carried bysaid device, may be piled adjacent to a similar pile on the ground or floor, or may be placed with one side adjacent to one of the interior walls of an open box car.

In practical'operation the receiving device .is placed in the frame 66 with the guide member placed in operative position with the guide blocks 67 and the cables 30 over the sheaves 69 to the operating device. The operator takes his position in the cab 68 then the drums may be operated and the grasping or receiving device elevated. The carriage 65 and the crane 63 may then be moved to any desired position so that the tongs may be over the pile of material to be lifted, the

The other motor tongs are then lowered until they are over the pile of material as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 with each pair of shoes 16 opposite the ends of a lower row of blocks as shown in Fig. 2. The switch 56 is then moved to the left to make contact with both of the contacts 54, an electric circuit will be established through the motor 33, and the shoes 16 moved to engagement with the blocks or tiles through the action of the worm gears 36, the screws 37 the cross bars 22 and the toggles 20.

When the cross bars 22 have been moved upward sufliciently to apply the proper pressure to the end of the rows of blocks, the

the desired position the switch 56 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 the direction of the current will then be reversed in the motor 33 and the bar 22 lowered and the shoes 16 released. When the bars 22 have nearly reached their lower limit of movement'the upper nut 47 will engage the up per side of the arm 47 and the switch 46 will be moved to the left, this will break the circuit and cause the motor to-stop.

The tongs are lowered such a distance that they will engage the ends of the blocks at a point below, their centers. When the pressure is applied to the lower rows of blocks the said rows become as a solid beam, the.

pressure being suflicient to support the weight of the rows of blocks on top of them.

The screw threaded bolts or links 2.0 may be adjusted to vary the tension on any set of tongs or to adapt them to. piles of blocks of different width.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a

grab member provided with a series of grippers adapted to move from an open to a closed position, an electric circuit including a double pole switch, a motor and a pole changer, the pole changer being adapted to reverse the movement of the motor, means actuated by said motor for opening and closing said grippers, and means actuated by the last said means for actuating said pole changer when the grippers have been moved to either a closed or open position, said switch and said pole chan er being so arranged that the motor will e automatically thrown out of operation and the pole changer moved from one position to the other of its movement. 2. In combination,

a track, a carriage, a

grab member,,mcans carried by said carriage for elevating and lowering said grab memher, said grab member being provided with a series of'gri'ppers adapted to move from an open to a closed position, an electric circuit including a double pole switch, a motor and a pole changer, the pole changer being adapt- .ed to reverse the movement of the motor,

means actuated-by said motor for opening and closing said grippers, and means actuated by the last said means for actuating said pole changer when the grippers .have been moved to either a closed or an open position, said switch and said pole changer being so arranged that the motor will be automatiment of parallel shafts, therein a series cally thrown out of operation when the pole changer moves from one positionto the other of its movement. v v

3. In a device of the class described, a frame, a series of tongs for independently grabbing and applying pressure to each row of the lower courses of a pile of closely and symmetrically arranged blocks, a movable bar for simultaneously moving said tongs to an open and closed position, means for automatically actuating and limiting the move said bar in either direction, said bar having yielding devices for equalizing the pressure of the tongs.

4. A grab device comprising a frame, parallel shafts therein, a series of spaced tong members on each shaft, the members of one shaft being arranged opposite to those of the opposite shaft, a link between each set of tong members for connecting said shafts, toggle links for connectin the upper ends of each set of tongs, a mova le bar for simultaneously moving said tongs to an open and closed position and means for automatically actuating and limiting the movement of said bar in either direction.

5. A grab device comprising a frame, of spaced tong members on each shaft, the members of one shaft bein arrange opposite to those of the opposite s aft, a link between each set of tong members for connecting said shafts, adjustable toggle links for connecting the upper ends of each set of tongs, a movable bar for simultaneously moving said tongs to an open and closed position and means for automatically actuating and limiting the movement of said bar in either direction.

6. A grab device comprising a frame, parallel shafts, therein a series of spaced ton members on each shaft, the members of one shaft being arranged opposite to those of the oppositeshaft, a link between each set of tong members for connecting said shafts, toggle links for connecting the upper ends of each set of tongs, spaced actuating bars, a yielding device in said bars for imparting motion to each set of toggle links, and means for actuating said bars.

7. A grab device comprising a frame, parallel shafts, therein a series of spaced tong members on each shaft, the members of one shaft being arranged opposite to those of the opposite shaft, .a link between each set of tong members for connecting said shafts, toggle links for connecting the upper ends of each set of tongs, spaced actuating bars, a yielding device in said bars for imparting motion to each set of. toggle links, means for actuating said bars, said means comprising a motor, a set of Worm gear devices actuated by said motor, a screw to each worm gear device, and an electric circuit for supplying current to said motor.

8. A grab device comprising a frame, parallel shafts, therein a series of spaced tong members on each shaft, the members of one shaft being arranged opposite to those of the opposite shaft, a link between each set of tong members for connecting said shafts, toggle links for connecting the upper ends of each set of tongs, spaced actuating bars, a yielding device in said bars for imparting motion to each set of toggle links, means for actuating said bars, said means comprising a motor, a set of worm gear devices actuated by said motor, a screw to each worm gear device, an electric circuit for supplying'current to said motor, an automatic switch in said circuit for stopping the motor when the tongs have reached a closed position, and adjustable means for actuating said switch.

HALVER R. STRAIGHT. 

